mckinley



April 26, 1955 w. K. M KINLEY ANIMAL CONTACT INSECTICIDE APPLICATOROriginal Filed Nov. 15, 1951 IN VEN TOR. wadelenwgkinle y ATTIII RN EYSUnited States Patent Original No. 2,688,950, dated September 14, 1954,Serial No. 256,568, November 15, 1951. Application for reissue October4, 1954, Serial No. 460,291

7 Claims. (Cl. 119--157) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears inthe original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification;matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to an applicator, and more particularly to adevice for applying insecticide to cattle.

The object of the invention is to provide an applicator which is adaptedto receive a quantity of suitable fluid 1 or liquid insecticide forkilling lice, grubs, flies, ectoparasites and the like whereby whencattle rub against the applicator, the liquid insecticide will beautomatically applied to the cattle to kill the vermin on the cattle.

The present invention relates to the mechanical application ofinsecticides to cattle without resort to spraying or dipping. Thus,since biting and sucking insects cause cattle to itch, the cattle have anatural tendency to scratch and rub themselves whenever possible, andthis natural habit of rubbing and scratching is utilized in the presentinvention to apply the insecticide automatically. The applicator isconstructed or placed and erected so that animals can use the device torub or scratch any part of their bodies where insects bite and suck, andthe applicator is saturated with liquid insecticide so that theinsecticide will be applied to whatever part of the body that is beingrubbed or scratched.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the applicator of the presentinvention, and with portions broken away and in section to show certainconstructional details of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the method of forming andattaching the applicator to one of the chain sections.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the applicator online 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modificationwherein a spring is used instead of a weight.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cover for the applicator.

Referring in detail to the-drawings, the numeral designates a verticallydisposed post which is adapted to have its lower end embedded in theground 11, as shown in Figure l. Spacedfrom the post 10 and alsoembedded in the ground 11 is an anchor 12 which may consist of aconcrete block, or any conventional ground anchor or dead man. Securedto the post 10 and arranged adjacent the upper end thereof is a guidemember 14, and a first chain section 15 is arranged in engagement withthe guide member 14. Connected to the lower end of the chain section 15is a biasing means which in Figure 1 consists of a weight 16.

There is further provided a second chain section 17 which is swivellyconnected to the first chain section 15 by means of a swivel joint 18.Mounted on the second chain section 17 is a cylindrical applicator 19.

The applicator 19 includes a central portion 22 which can be made of anysuitable material such as heavy felt or similar wicking, and secured tothe central portion 22 is a reinforcing fabric or canvas sheet 23. Oneedge of the reinforcing sheet 23 is secured to the second chain section17 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of securing elements24. The applicator is arranged as a roll, and a cylindrical cover 25 ispositioned over the roll, the cover 25 being shown in Figure 5. Thecover 25 is provided with an opening 26 adjacent its upper end wherebyliquid or fluid insecticide can be poured through the opening 26 tosaturate the applicator.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, there is shown a modificationwherein the biasing means for the chain section 15 includes a coilspring 27 instead of the weight 16. Thus, the upper end of the coilspring 27 is connected to the lower end of the chain section 15, whilethe lower end of the coil spring 27 is secured to a suitable anchoringmember 28 which is connected to the post 10. The heavy felt or wicking22 may be reinforced with canvas or other material 23. The weight 16 orthe spring 27 serves to hold the applicator taut. The spring 27 may beencased in a protective shield to prevent the coils of the spring fromcatching andpulling the animals hair or skin. The cover 25 is made ofextra heavy material and is provided with the opening 26 so that theapplicator can be filled with insecticide. The insecticide is pouredinto the opening 26 and it follows the chain or cable downwards tothoroughly saturate the wicking roll throughout its entire length. Thereinforced wicking material is firmly attached to the support chain orcable at 24. The material is then wrapped around the support chainsection 17 and then the cover 25 is slipped on. The cover 25 gives addedstrength to the wicking roll and enables it to better withstand thesevere hard rubbing by heavy animals. The guide member 14 may be apulley or ringbolt through which passes the supporting chain or cablesection 15. The anchor or dead man 12 is sunk into the ground 11 farenough away from the post 10 to maintain the applicator roll taut andthe applicator is arranged at an angle so that the weight 16 is arrangedsix or eight inches above the ground. The wicking roll swivels at 18 and21 as the animal rubs and scratches to thereby continually bring fullysaturated parts of the wicking roll in contact with the body of theanimal since the applicator is round. The biasing means maintains thewicking roll taut so that the animal will rub the insecticide againstthe skin as well as against the hair. The applicator can be used by theanimal to reach all parts of the body. Thus, when the animal straddlesthe applicator roll, the insecticide will be applied under the belly,neck, bricket and scrotum and/or udder. When the animal is alongside ofthe applicator, the animal may rub the side of the head and nose, underthe jaws, under the neck, along its sides, as well as on the legs, tothereby apply the insecticide to these parts. Also. the animal mayscratch and rub behind the ears, the

, back of the neck as well as along the entire back, and

by backing up to the applicator the animal can scratch and rub the rootof the tail. Thus, the insecticide applicator of the present inventioncan be used for applying insecticides to all parts of the bodywherelice, grubs or flies may be.

The applicator is constructed of material having high absorptioncapacity and it can be made rugged enough to withstand hard treatment bylarge animals and still have sufficient holding capacity to treat manyanimals without recharging. Also, the applicator is in a shape or formthat readily conforms to the configuration of the body of the animal.The applicator can be readily recharged or refilled whenever desired bypouring the insecticide through the opening 26. Due to the provision ofthe swivels 18 and 21, the round applicator will roll or rotate as theanimal rubs to bring fully saturated areas of the roll adjacent theanimal body to assure or insure that sufficient quantities ofinsecticide are applied. The tautness of the applicator will offersuflicient resistance to the rubbing of the animal so that theinsecticide will be applied beneath the hair upon the skin where liceand warbles are found. The biasing means causes the applicator roll toadapt itself more closely to the uneven contours of the animal body andalso allows the higher portions of the roll to be lowered while stillbeing kept taut so that the applicator can be straddled and theapplicator can accommodate itself to small as well as large animals. Theinsecticide is applied automatically to the animals so that it will notbe necessary to spray or dip theanimals for lice, warbles or flies.Thus, animals frequently itch due to the biting and sucking of insectsand other factors, and since animals naturally rub or scratch themselvesto relieve the itching, they will use the applicator frequently withoutthe necessity of forcing the animal to be disinfected so that theinsecticide will be applied in a more natural way without fear,excitement or exertion, as in the case when dipping or spraying isutilized. When sprays or clips are used, therev are many delays when theinsects multiply unhindered as soon as the residual etfects of theinsecticide diminish. This depletes the energy of the cattle until thepests become numerous enough to attract the attention of the cattleman,thus inducing him to spray or dip again, but with the present inventionthere are no delays because the animal will use the applicator wheneveritching becomes severe enough to make the animal rub or scratch. Thus,the present invention can be used with verylittle time or labor on thepart of the cattleman and also there will be a reduced cost in applyingthe insecticide and there will be less danger of injuries suffered bythe cattle during the spraying and dipping.

I claim:

1. In combination a vertically disposed post, a guide member supportedby said post and positioned adjacent the upper end of said post, ananchor spaced from said post, a first chain section arranged inengagement with said guide member, biasing means connected to the lowerend of said first chain section, a second chain section swivellyconnected to said first chain section and arranged angularly withrespect to said post, a third chain section swivelly connected to saidsecond chain section and secured to said anchor, an inclined applicatormounted on said second chain section and including a central portionarranged as a roll, a reinforcing sheet surrounding said centralportion, a cover mounted on said applicator and provided with a fillingopening adjacent its upper end,

means securing said applicator to said second chain section, the fillingopening in said cover adapted to have liquid insecticide poured therein.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said biasing meanscomprises a weight..

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said biasing meanscomprises a spring.

4. In an insecticide applicator for animals, the combination comprisingan elongated flexible supporting member having terminal portions withmeans thereon for supporting the applicator in an inclined operativeposition,

one of said terminal portions having a tension maintainingmeans-associated therewith, a wick applicator embracing said memberintermediate the ends thereof, and means between said wick applicatorand said member permitting said wick to rotate with respect to saidterminal portions of said member.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said tension maintainingmeans comprises a spring.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said tension maintainingmeans comprises a weight.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the means on one of theterminal. portions for supporting the applicator in operative positioncomprises a pulley.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'or the original patentOTHER REFERENCES Successful Farming, July 1952, page 64.

